Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Smash Texas from Singleback Trio is a classic Smash Cover 2 beater built with a Texas route concept on the backside. The outside receiver runs a deep corner route while the slot receiver underneath him runs a flag/out to occupy the underneath zone, creating a high low read on the boundary corner and safety. On the backside, the TE and RB run the Texas concept with the RB releasing to the flat and the TE working a delayed angle route underneath, while the far receiver clears vertically on a deep post to stretch the middle safety. Primary read progression starts with the corner/smash combo on the play side, then works back to the Texas concept underneath if the deep corner route is capped.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify whether the corner is playing off or pressed, off coverage signals zone drops that make the flag/corner combo a live matchup. Watch the safety alignment, two high safeties who stay wide will struggle to help over the top on the corner route once the flag route occupies the underneath defender. Post-snap, key the flat defender or the underneath linebacker assigned to the RB out of the Texas concept, if he sits and reads the quarterback the flat throw will be covered but it opens up the TE working underneath. Beware user controlled lurk defenders sitting in the intermediate zone, they can jump the TE's angle route if the quarterback stares it down too long. This play struggles against aggressive Cover 3 sink drops or press man coverage with safety help rotated over the top, since the corner route loses its natural window against a true deep third defender.
Usage Tips
Diagnose the coverage shell pre-snap by checking the depth of the corners and safeties, this play thrives against two deep safeties who are forced to choose between the corner route and the flag underneath. Use motion or a hard count to bait the corner into jumping the underneath flag route, opening the corner route for an explosive gain. Hot route the backside TE into a quick option route if you are facing man coverage across the board, since the natural Texas concept works best versus zone drops. Call this on second and long or third and medium situations where defenses are more likely to sit in Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells. Pair this with HB Dive or HB Zone Wk out of the same Trio set to keep the defense honest on early downs before hitting them with the Smash Texas shot play.
